This fabulous new autobiography, “God Save the Queen Diva,” is a breezy page-turner that not only reveals the evolution of Freddie Ross, Jr. to Big Freedia the Queen Diva: it delivers an insider’s look at the development of New Orleans’ bounce music scene. All throughout, the reader can hear Freedia’s booming voice, as if she is in the room reading aloud.

In 2012, a 24-year old Jamison Ross won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition in one of the only years the contest has featured drumming as its instrumental focus. Winning this prestigous competition came with a prize of a $25,000 scholarship and a recording contract with the Concord Music Group.

South Africa's Soweto Gospel Choir are two-time Grammy winners for Best Traditional World Music Album. They combine gospel, spirituals, reggae, and American popular music, as evidenced by the three songs below: "Mama Tembu's Wedding," "Avulekile Amasango/One Love," and "Khumbaya."

Here's Little Freddie King with "Pauger Street Boogie", a song rooted in his memories of the Last Chance Lounge. A cousin of Lightin' Hopkins, King was born in McComb, MS but has been a New Orleanian since the age of 14. This performance was recorded by the WWOZ video unit at Basin St Station in January 2015.

In this piece from NPR Music, rapper Kendrick Lamar, whose latest album, To Pimp a Butterfly, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's albums chart earlier this year, visits Brian Mooney's class at High Tech High School in North Bergen, N.J.